what to take for ears that won't pop?

[Rockit31]

I will be a second time diver soon and the first time I had a devil of a time popping my right ear. Someone gave me some pills and I already forgot what they were, maybe some kind of sudafed? Anyways , after taking these pill, I was able to equalize both ears just fine. Can someone tell me what those pills were so I can have them handy on my next dive?

 

[Marie13]

Some will use Sudafed with pseudoephedrine. Only the 12 hour ones.

Make sure you equalize often - beginning at the surface before you duck under.

Note: if you’re going to MX, pseudoephedrine is illegal there.

 

[TheRealScubaSteve]

A number of divers I know also use Afrin. It's a nasal mist. I know one that uses it frequently, but that is not advised as long term (3+ days) use can worsen congestion.

 

[wnissen]

Your open water training almost certainly warned you against using decongestants due to the risk of a "reverse squeeze". Not saying that many people don't do it, but I would try increased hydration and alternative equalization methods before taking a drug, especially one that is illegal in that country.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

It also can't hurt to bring this up with your doctor just to confirm that there is nothing abnormal going on that makes it tougher to equalize on that one side...

 

[arew+4]

I would also recommend practicing on land. Also practice more than one technique. There is an excellent post by one of the diving Med people around somewhere that covers most if not all of the techniques.

If you live near some steep hills you can sometimes have enough of a difference that it can be felt. Become familiar with this feeling and be sure to equalize as soon as you feel it when under water. The pressure change in 1 foot of water is roughly equivalent to 1000 feet on land.

(0.5 PSI for 1000 feet on land, .445 PSI for 1 foot of seawater)

And to answer the original question, Sudafed, or generic equivalent. We usually use the standard four to six hour variety. It's seems to be more predictable as far as onset and duration. Take 1 hour before diving. Never had a problem with reverse squeeze from it wearing off but did have one in the frontal sinus once. That was horrible. Surfaced with a mask fully of bloody mucus.

 

[DandyDon]

It also can't hurt to bring this up with your doctor just to confirm that there is nothing abnormal going on that makes it tougher to equalize on that one side...

Yes!

For best results, equalize on the boat ride out, again just before you go in, again at 10, 15, and 20 feet each. Do not descend if you can't at any depth.

The pill was probably some sort of Sudafed, not the OTC crap now sold with that name, but the behind the counter package that requires ID in the US, containing pseudoephedrine. Don't get caught taking it into Mexico tho as it is illegal. I've never been caught, but be cool. I use Wal-act D from Walgreens, the 60 mg pill.

 

[owenfred18]

As others have said, Try pseudoephedrine 12 hours prior and right before dive as well as afrin before your dive. But some folks just can’t clear efficiently based on their anatomy! Stay ahead of the pressure and take it slow! Best of luck!

 

[DandyDon]

Try pseudoephedrine 12 hours

I've taken the 60 mg for decades. Never tried the 12 hour.

BTW, take some at home before you travel. Some people find it too stimulating.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

Allergies bug me, but call me a wimp I stick to the lessons taught in my Open Water class 36 years ago and still taught today. Don't take decongestants and dive. (That includes Afrin and Sudafed.) There have also been some humorous (because they worked out well) stories here about reverse squeeze when medication wore off. I think one involved a 5 gallon bucket being passed down to a diver on a Safety stop, along with Afrin. The bucket made a little diving bell around the guy's head so he could use the Afrin.

Instead, here's what works well for me:

1. I drink lots of water. It's worse if I'm dehydrated at all.
2. I will take Sudafed AFTER a day of diving, to start with clear ear canals over night. And repeat step 1.
3. If it's bad, I'll take Benadryl or another antihistamine the night before diving. This assumes I'm sure I don't have a cold: Antihistamines aren't a great response to a cold, as I understand, and can make the issue worse by thickening mucus.
4. I'll take ibuprofen if there's any residual pain. (Sometimes comes with squeeze due to above-water air pressure changes and clogged canals. I think this reduces inflammation in the ear canal and then, if I go back to step 1, the mucus drains away more easily.)
5. Don't forget step 1.

All that said, ask an MD/DO about this, not ScubaBoard.